Continuing a series of announcements that indicate the growing sophistication of electric vehicles, Electrify America’s ultra-fast charging network now has technology called Plug&Charge that allows EV drivers to begin a charge without reaching for their wallet or smartphone. After an online registration, drivers can automatically pay for charging by simply plugging in their EV. The charger communicates with the vehicle to identify, authenticate, authorize and bill the customer’s registered account for the charging session.
This technology is now available on all Electrify America chargers across the U.S. in advance of the anticipated arrival in the coming months of Plug&Charge–capable EVs, including the 2021 models of the Porsche Taycan, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Lucid Air.
The network that debuted in May 2018. Electrify America claims it is the first company to offer this service to multiple automakers. Electrify America also has the fastest charging technology available today to provide charging speeds of up to 150 and 350 kilowatts.
“We are investing in customer-focused technologies like Plug&Charge to make the charging experience easier than filling up at a gas pump,” said Cliff Fietzek, senior director of technology at Electrify America. Electrify America, the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S., has more than 500 charging stations open to the public with more than 2,200 individual chargers.
Plug&Charge works by vehicle-to-grid communication technology that utilizes encrypted security measures. It follows the ISO 15118, an international standard that outlines the secured communication protocol that an EV and charging station should use to recharge the EV’s battery. It allows simplified charging for the most prevalent EV charging connector type, called the Combined Charging System (CCS).
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